Normally we hate going off hearsay, but long-time DOY reader Andrew J. said he saw the following posted on NHL.com (though it now seems to have mysteriously disappeared). We remember seeing someone tweet something similar, too. It sounds like Shanahan is taking no prisoners tonight if some tomfoolery starts on the ice:

‎”I have told the referees to call every penalty in the book tomorrow in Buffalo. The NHL and I will be watching this game very closely, and if there is any retaliation there will be fines and suspensions handed down no reviews, I will fine/suspend who ever the culprit is. We want a clean hard fought game tomorrow night, I have contacted both Sabres GM Darcy Regier and Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli and told them about this.” — Brendan Shanahan

Wonder if that means we shouldn’t expect anyone to run Timmy or go after Lucic — not that we’d except the Sabres to have the balls to do either or anyways. If the quote is true — and we have no reason to not think so — the most we might see tonight is someone ask Lucic to dance early on and that’s it. NHL doesn’t want a Islanders-Penguins brawl happening in Buffalo tonight.

Lucic is looking forward to to whoever wants to be on his dance card, though:

“I never lost sleep about it, or ever gone to a game shaking about it. From my point of view, I’ve always enjoyed it.’’